The production of crystallized sugar from raw sugar cane is well known. Furthermore, the development of equipment and associated processes for producing sugar from sugar cane stalks has been extensive. Generally, sugar product is produced from a naturally-occurring liquid contained within the cells of sugar cane stalks.
In many places throughout the world, and especially in Latin America, this naturally occurring juice contained in the cells of sugar cane stalks is highly regarded as a beverage. In Latin America, this natural juice product is commonly referred to as "guarapo." The term "guarapo", which carries the unmistakable sonority of its Quechuan origin, has become part of the Spanish language to identify and define what is arguably the most pleasant and truly popular beverage in South America. Fresh guarapo has long been regarded as a healthy beverage which, in addition to providing thirst-quenching refreshment, is believed to have attributes that improve and enhance sexual performance. In fact, songs written by grateful Latin Americans having firsthand knowledge of its gifts have become an integral part of Latin American folklore.
Unfortunately, the shelf life of pure guarapo extracted from sugar cane using known methods is very limited, and a process for producing a natural guarapo product for commercial distribution does not exist. As a result, alternative efforts have focused primarily on providing portable equipment geared toward producing guarapo for immediate consumption. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,320,035 to Sanchez et al. teaches a portable sugar cane juice extractor for use commercially in a setting where juice is squeezed to order for individual consumers, such as at a fair or in a retail store. Consequently, the enjoyment of pure guarapo has been primarily limited to persons living in sugar cane producing regions of the world.
It is known to produce a stabilized sugar juice product having an adequate shelf life for commercial distribution. However, known methods require the addition of unnatural chemical additives, such as acids, during juice processing. The addition of chemical additives is undesirable because it alters the natural flavor of the final juice product. Additionally, known methods have the further disadvantage of tending to be economically inefficient for producing commercial quantities.
Accordingly, there is a recognized need for an economical method of processing sugar cane to produce commercial volumes of guarapo for bottling and distribution, whereby the method prevents the natural fermentation of the juice, preserves its natural color, and preserves its natural taste.